Analyze Chord Progressions byJim Fieser

Compose Your Own Music

Apply Music Theory
Transpose Keys

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 QUICK START GUIDE
T he Chord Wheel is a revolutionary device that puts the most essential, practical applications of
chord theory into your hands. No music reading is necessary. Simply rotate the transparent disk, and:
~ Determine which chords belong to a given key and analyze any progression instantly.
~ Transpose a chord progression to any key.
~ Compose your own music.

Roman numerals denote the harmonic progres-

sion. Upper-case numerals (I, IV, V) are major
chords while lower-case (ii, iii, vi) are minor.

Sevenths and other extensions add color to

a chord and make detailed analysis a breeze.

Chord names are also the major scale notes .

The F major scale is thus F, G, A, B~, C, D, E by
counting I, ii, iii, IV, V, vi, vii for the notes.

Key is selected by aligning this box with the

desired tonic (i.e., I chord). The number of
sharps or flats corresponds to the key signature .

Analyzing Progressions
At the foundation of just about any composition is an underlying chord progression. The song's
melody, and any improvisation played throughout, will be intimately tied to that underlying progres-
sion, so being able to analyze a progression in terms of key and Roman numerals is an essential skill
for the improvising musician.

Step 1: Determining Key

Individually, most chords can belong to several keys; when combined into a progression, however,
chords tend to work together to imply a single tonic or key center. This information can tell you what
scale(s) to use for improvising over the entire progression, which greatly simplifies your job as a soloist.
There are two ways to determine the "key" of a progression:
• Use your ears. Listen for the note or chord that sounds most "at rest"- often it's the first or
last chord in the song or progression. This will be the "I chord" of the key. Be aware: This
task can be next to impossible when dealing with complex progressions which may modu-
late through any number of keys.
• Use the Chord Wheel. By rotating the triangular outline printed on the transparent disk,
you can easily determine a song's key: just turn the disk until all the chords (or as many as
possible) are contained within the triangular pattern.

By using the Chord Wheel in conjunction with your ears, you'll be able to easily analyze even the most
complex progressions.

2
Step 2: Assigning Roman Numerals
Once a key is determined, each chord can be assigned a Roman
numeral (I, ii, V, etc.) based on its position and function within the
key. There are several benefits to this knowledge:
• By analyzing the theory behind your favorite composers or
styles of music, you'll soon discover how each achieves the
tension and release essential to effective composition. You'll
realize, for example, how frequent modulations and liberal use
of "ii-V-1" cadences typify many standard jazz progressions,
while rock/blues-based tunes tend to rely on more stationary
progressions, like "1-IV-V" changes.
• An accomplished soloist must be completely aware of a tune 's framework to improvise
effectively. Without this "roadmap," the improvisation will fail to follow along with a given
song, and the result will be a solo that rambles ori- or worse, sounds out of place.
• Communication between players frequently takes place at the theoretical level. Should a
songwriting partner tell you that she'd like you to work on a song that "cycles forward
along the circle of fifths utilizing a 'vi-ii-V7-I' cadence, but the bridge should modulate to
somewhere harmonically distant such that it has an 'outside' sound," you'll be able to fol-
low along effortlessly, whether you're recommending chord changes or laying down an
eloquent solo.

Sample Progression, Part 1: The Verse

Verse: Fmaj7 Dm Gm7 C7
Fmaj7 Dm9 Am Bb

Above is a typical verse progression. Let's try analyzing it. Rotate

the transparent disk on the Chord Wheel, searching for a key that
contains as many of the above chords within the triangular outline
as possible.

With a little trial and error, you'll eventually find that only one
position contains all of the chords in the verse: the key of F (see
right). We can therefore say that the verse of our sample progres-
sion is "in the key of F." Also, because the verse's chords all fit
within the bold triangular outline without exceptions, it is com-
pletely within the key, or diatonic.

Next, convert the verse to its root progression- that is, labeling Key of F. When positioned here , each of the
verse's chords are contained within the transparent
the chords with the Roman numerals designated at the bottom of disk's triangular outline.
each cell . Take your time with this, then compare your results to
the analysis below:

Key of F: Imaj7 vi ii7 V7

Imaj7 vi9 iii IV

3
 Sample Progression, Part 2: The Chorus
Chorus: j,__: _m
__ +-1-~-~--+-1-~--___,1,__~-~-~_j7_m_a_j7- -fl
Now let's try the chorus. Again, after a little trial and error, you'll find that this section of the song is no
longer in the key of F. In fact, there is no single key that contains all of the chords above. This indicates
that the chorus either modulates to one or more other keys or contains at least one accidental (a chord
outside the key) . The strongest analysis indicates that the chorus modulates. The first half of the chorus
is in the "key of C," and then we modulate to the "key of G" for the second half:

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Key of C. The proper key for the first half of the

chorus_ All chords fa ll within the outline. Key of G. The key for the second half of the cho-
rus. Note that the A7 is not within the bold outline
but in its own, fainter outline_ Thus, it's not actually
in the key (i.e. , d iatonic) but is still commonly used.

Harmonic (Root) Progression for the Chorus:

~:; ~: ~: I:: I~ I: I:~ai:aj7 I

Once you understand a progression like this through analysis, you have at your disposal a roadmap to
great soloing. For instance, with the above progression, you could start by playing lines based on an F
major scale during the verse, and then, when the chorus kicked in, employ licks based on the C major
scale for the first four measures and the G major scale for the second half. Naturally, you'd want to add
your favorite scale variations and pay attention to the chord tones (in other words, emphasize the
notes that make up each chord, as opposed to just playing any and all the notes in a scale).

Analysis Tips
Modulations and Accidentals
While many popular songs remain entirely in one key, it's not unusual for a song to modulate-that is,
to move to a different key or keys. This is especially true in jazz, which frequently modulates in and
out of various keys throughout a given composition. In more traditionally structured music, you'll often
find key modulations at points in the tune that musically "take the song somewhere else," such as a
chorus or a bridge.

If, in the middle of a verse, there appears a chord that sounds like it came out of left field, it's probably
out of key (often referred to as an accidental-though it's no accident!) . It's important to remember
that "out of key" does not imply incorrectness. In fact, many amazing songs are memorable because of
their use of less predictable chords. What's important is that you know where these chords are coming
from so they can become part of your ever-expanding musical vocabulary.

4
 Common Chords
Perhaps you noticed that the first chord of the chorus, Dm, was also used in the verse (which we ana-
lyzed as being in a different key). This is not unusual: A given chord can belong to several keys . In
fact, that's often part of why a verse and chorus work well together; they utilize some of the same
chords. In this regard, context is essential in determining key. (By the way, these common chords are
often referred to as pivot chords when used as transitions between keys.)

Unique Chords
When analyzing a given progression, watch for chords that are
unique to a given key. For example, anytime you see a dominant
0
seventh chord (such as G7, D7, or A7), remember that it can only
be diatonic to a single key, where it functions as a V7.

Likewise, the vii chord (m7b5) is also unique to each key. Thus
0

anytime you see an F# 0 or F#m7b5, for example, you know the only
true corresponding key is the key of G.

Substitutions
One exception to the above rule: dominant seventh chords also happens to be a favorite chord type to
use for substitutions. A substitution is a chord that "replaces" another chord in a given progression to
add variety. A common substitution in jazz is the tritone or bs substitution. Rather than explain the theo-
retical details, think of the tritone as the chord on the exact opposite side of the Chord Wheel. It is most
commonly applied to the V7 chord. So in the key of G, the tritone substitution for the V7 (D7) would be
Af7, as it is exactly opposite the D7 . The tritone substitution for the ii7 (Am7) in this key would be an
Ebm7. As with any substitution, a dominant seventh chord is often used. As you accumulate a knowledge
of substitutions, you'll see how the Chord Wheel outlines them visually, making them easy to utilize.

Transposition
Let's face it, transposing progressions from one key to another is a necessary skill for all musicians.
There are numerous instances in which transposition comes in handy:
• When accompanying a vocalist who needs a song played in a lower (or higher) range.
• When arranging for instruments in non-concert tuning.
• When modulating up a step midway through a tune to add excitement.
• When playing with a capo on your guitar, and then communicating that progression to
other musicians.

The list could go on and on.

Once you've analyzed a progression, the Chord Wheel makes transposing it to a different key a snap.
Simply rotate the transparent disk to the new key and, using the Roman numerals at the bottom of each
chord's box, convert the progression into the chords of the new key. (If you like, you can write directly
on the transparent disk; it was designed for use with a dry erase marker.) Chord types such as "m7" and
"maj9" remain the same.

Try transposing our previous sample progression such that the verse starts in the "key of G," and check
your results below. NOTE: When transposing a modulation, just recognize how many keys away the
new key is form the original. In this example, the modulations each take the wheel one step clockwise.

Original Key Harmonic Analysis Transposed Key

Verse: Fmaj7 Dm Gm7 C7 Key of F: Imaj7 vi ii7 V7 Key of G: Gmaj7 Em Am7 D7
Fmaj7 Dm9 Am B~ Im aj7 vi9 iii IV Gmaj7 Em9 Bm c
Chorus: Dm G7 c Cmaj7 Key of C: ii V7 I Imaj7 Key of D : Em A7 D Dm aj7
Am D7 G A7 Gmaj7 Key of G: ii V7 I II7 Imaj7 Key of A: Bm E7 A B7 Amaj7
5
 Composition
The Chord Wheel is especially valuable when composing your own progressions . Chords located com-
pletely within a single key's triangular pattern are said to be "diatonic" and will sound very much like
they belong together. Moving outside the key's chord family will result in adding more tension to a song
(often very desirable). By gaining better control of the "tension and release" inherent in the movement of
chords and the art of modulation, you'll have the tools necessary for inventive composition.

As a musician, you may come up with a small bit of a composition (such as a "hook" or "riff") and, lik-
ing the sound of it, wish to expand it into a complete song. Instead of randomly playing additional
chords, hoping to stumble across something that catches your ear, you can now focus in on the sounds
implied by the notes/ chords already established by the riff.

As an example, let's say that you've come up with a bit that revolves around three chords: Am, C, and G.
Rotate the transparent disk until these three chords are contained within the outline. You'll find that you
could theoretically be playing in three different keys depending on how you interpret your progression.

Original Chords Used: Am, C, and G.

KeyofF KeyofC KeyofG

Other chords in or near the Other chords in or near the Other chords in or near the
key of F that will sound like key of C that will sound like key of G that will sound like
they belong: they belong: they belong:

F Gm m Dm E0 A Dm Em F B0 D E Bm D Em fl 0 A B
I ii IV vi vii 0 III ii iii IV vii 0 II III iii V vi vii 0 II III

The key (or keys) in which you decide to interpret the progression is up to you. One way to determine
very quickly in which key you personally are hearing the chords is by adding more notes to the exist-
ing chords. Try playing the C in your new progression as a major seventh (Cmaj7) and then as a domi-
nant seventh (C7). If the Cmaj7 sounds like it fits, then the key of C or the key of G is where to start. If
the C7 sounds closer to what you're hearing, then continue your composition in the key of F.

Visit the Chord Wheel website at www.chordwheel.com for greater detail regarding using this product as
a composition aide. There you will find a comprehensive tutorial and more detailed discussions on other
topics as well.

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 Typical Chords and Progressions
When writing or playing a song in the key of C, you can see that
we can play the chords C, F, and G as a progression and expect
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them to sound solidly "in key." In fact, the results sound very
good; as if the chords belonged together. If you analyze C, F, and
G with your Chord Wheel, you will find that they translate as the I
1: chord, the IV chord, and the V chord in the key. Have you ever
heard somebody mention a "one-four-five progression"? What they
were really saying was "I-IV-V." These are probably the three most
common chords in all of music. For one thing, they're the basis of
the renowned "twelve-bar blues," which in turn is the foundation
of much rock and jazz.
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Primary Chords
I, IV, and V could be said to be the primary chords in any major key. The first chord, the I chord, is
the defining chord of the key and is also called the tonic. It is consistently the most utilized chord,
regardless of key, and most other chords in a key's "family" will tend to make the listener's ears ache to
hear resolution to it. Use this expectation to pull listeners along as well as provide them with the com-
fortable resolution they desire.

After the I chord, the most characteristic sound of a given key is the V chord, called the dominant. At
the very center of the Chord Wheel, you'll discover a clockwise arrow indicating the direction of the
dominant. Among the strongest of listener tendencies recognized by music theorists is the "movement
to dominant." Simply stated, our ears seem to possess an inherent expectation that musical tones want
to progress from a root, or tonic, to the note a "fifth" higher, which would be the root of the V chord.
The V chord, in turn, makes the listener expect to hear resolution back to the I chord, particularly
when it's voiced as a dominant seventh (V7), a unique chord in the key.

The IV chord, called the subdominant, also works to draw the listener away from, and back to, the
tonic. It's a more relaxed sound but very effective. The counterclockwise arrow at the center of the
Chord Wheel indicates the direction of the subdominant. One characteristic of the IV chord is that, like
the tonic (I chord), it can be a major seventh (maj7) chord. Thus if you come across a major seventh
chord in a progression, it can be functioning as the tonic (the I chord) or the subdominant (the IV
chord), depending on context or interpretation.

Secondary Chords
Notice that the innermost circle of the Chord Wheel consists of a given ,/'\ din{i~i~hed /'·--
key's major chords (I, IV, and V), while the middle circle contains the
key's minor chords (ii, iii, and vi) and the outer circle contains the ('7 \:\J~tzZJ
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key's one diminished (vii chord.
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ii, iii, vi, and vii•. These could be considered the secondary chords /...\. "" ··• .
of a major key; they're not as crucial in establishing the key center, but \~ , - 1 ,
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they're valuable nonetheless-they represent "somewhere else to go" in a ( / -----7
major key. As you can see, most of them are minor. This means they're less L
consonant but also more colorful.

A particularly common element of many jazz progressions is the "ii-V-I cadence." Though it sounds
complex, a ii-V-I in the key of C is simply Dm, G, and C. Likewise, a favorite progression of old time
rock 'n' roll was I-vi-IV-V, which translates as C-Am-F-G in the key of C.

7
 The II & III Chords
Most pop tunes stay within a single key-practically the entire Bob
Dylan catalog, for example. Others modulate. Some add just the "II" or
"III" chords. Though the II and III chords aren't actually diatonic to a
major key, study the chord progressions of The Beatles, Rolling Stones,
Elvis Costello, etc., and you'll discover that, without taking these two
chords into consideration, their progressions would be utterly confusing.

The II and III chords sound great for variety. And believe it or not,
there's actually a theoretical reason for their inclusion; they're popular
secondary dominants. What that means is, they can "act" like domi-
nant V chords to other chords within the key. The II chord CD in the
key of C) can act like the "V" of the V chord ( G), while the III chord (E)
can act like the "V" of vi (Am). You don't need to know this to use
them, however. Just use your ears and experiment.

The Circle of Fifths

If we start with C, and continue to take dominant after dominant (C to
G to D to A, etc.), you'll notice that after just twelve notes, we
return back to our starting point. This cyclical nature is called the
circle of fifths (or alternately, the circle of fourths) and is one
of the most fundamental principles in all of music theory. The
circle of fifths is at the foundation of the Chord Wheel, making
up its innermost ring (where all of the major chords are found) .
A few aspects are worth noting:
• Modulations often move one "key" clockwise (or counter-
clockwise) on the circle of Sths. This is due to the strong
pull of tonic to dominant, and vice versa. Such neighboring
keys also have many chords in common, as the Chord Wheel
will confirm.
• Though the subdominant is generally looked at as the IV chord of a given key, the term
"subdominant" actually implies that the "movement to dominant" is such a strong tendency
that our ears might instead hear the IV as being a chord of resolution. For example, consid-
er the progression C-F. While it's I-IV in the key of C, in the key of F, it's V-I. So the F
chord can sound like a IV or a I, depending on interpretation. Both ways of seeing it are
valid. Here's the point: Instead of thinking of moving counterclockwise along the circle of
fifths as going from I to IV, consider that it can also be interpreted as going from V to I.

Key Signatures and Enharmonics

You should be familiar with key signatures. Simply put, a key signature is a representation of the
number of notes in a given key (and thus the notes of its related scale) that are sharped or flatted. Turn
the clear plastic disk on your Chord Wheel so that the "KEY-I Chord" arrow is aligned with D. You 'll
see the key signature of D has two sharps. Likewise, two of the chords in the key of D have sharps: the
iii chord (F#m) and the vii chord ( C#m) .

Now examine the "key of Gb" on the Chord Wheel. Notice that it also can be expressed as the "key of
F#." These two notes, Gb and F#, are identical on any musical instrument. They're two names for the
exact same tone. This property is called being enharmonic (a fancy word that means "sounds exactly
the same"). Just as the note F# could also be called Gb, the two keys are identical.

8
MORE APPLICATIONS
Scales
As you may or may not know, a scale is a set of notes (usually seven) arranged in series, from one
note to the same note an octave higher. Think, "Do, re , mi: fa, so, la, ti, do."

c D E F G A B C*
do re mi fa so la ti do

Scales are the raw material of melodic improvisation. With the Chord Wheel, you have access to any
major scale right at your fingertips; just find the corresponding major key, take the letter name of each
chord, and arrange the notes in numerical order.

For example, grab your Chord Wheel and align the movable trans-
parent disk to the "key of C." Now, using just the Roman numerals
for the time being (paying no attention to whether they are upper
or lower-case, and ignoring any lower-case "m's"), arrange the
notes of C major in order:

Notes of the C major scale:

Key
c

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/ Voila! Your first scale!

Now try doing the same after aligning the Chord Wheel's transpar-
ent disk to the "key of D." Just go "I, ii, iii, IV, V, vi, vii," and
you'll have the scale of D major.

Notes of the D major scale:

If you're having trouble placing the notes in proper order, refer to the Roman numeral equivalency
chart below. And, by the way, if this seems like a lot of work to determine the notes in a scale, don't
worry. It's not a question you'll need to be asking yourself frequently to exercise the practical benefits
of chord theory; you'll eventually memorize many of these basics.

Number 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Roman numeral (upper case) I II III IV v VI VII
Roman numeral (lower case) i ii iii iv v vi vii

* The beginning note of a scale is much lower in tone than the finishing note, but due to the way our ears hear music they sound almost
identical. This pattern repeats over and over, both up and down. (This cyclical behavior is common in music theory and is a principal reason
the Chord Wheel is constructed the way it is.)

9
 Chords
We know how to find the chords in a key, and the notes in a scale, but how do you know what notes
make up a chord? It's really pretty simple. First off, all chords are built in thirds. In scale terms, that
translates into every other note of a scale.

Triads
The most basic chord type is called a triad; it contains three notes. A triad is put together by taking
any note in a scale as a starting point (called the root of the chord) and then adding two more notes-
the 3rd and the 5th-in an "every other note" manner. So, if we were starting from the first note in the
C major scale (C, which we'll number as "1"), we would skip a note and add the next scale note
instead: the note numbered "3," which is E. If we once again skip a note ("4") and add the "5" note, G,
we have all three notes of our triad: C, E, G. This is C major, the I chord in the key.

2 4 6 7 8
D F A B c

Try the same thing starting from the second note of the scale, D. Using our "every other note" pattern,
we know that our triad will contain the 2nd, 4th and 6th notes of the major scale: D, F, A. This turns
out to be a D minor chord, the ii chord in the key:

I Key
Note
of C 1
c l(!)I 1(81 18)
3
E G
5 7
B
8
c

You can use this method to spell any chord in the key of C major, or any other key for that matter.
Remember, start at any Roman numeral and pick every other numeral counting up- keeping in mind
that when you get to what would be "eight," you simply start over again at "one." Another great way to
do this is always knowing that the "every other note" pattern is going to provide notes with "every
other" letter. When you go past G, just start over again at A. The only thing left is to figure out if any
notes happen to be sharps (#'s) or flats Cb's), and the Chord Wheel can tell you that!

Major vs. Minor (vs. Diminished)

The Chord Wheel tells us that a C chord is major and a Dm chord is minor,
but it doesn't tell us why. You may well ask, "What's the difference between
a major and a minor chord?"

Start out with the tonic chord of the key of C, which is C major. As we cov-
ered already, the actual notes are C, E, and G. Now, using the Chord Wheel,
let's compare it to Cm, which happens to be the ii chord in the key of Bb
(aligning the transparent disk to the of Bb will confirm this) . Start at ii (or the
2nd) in the key of Bb and take every other note (the 4th and 6th), and you
Upper-case numerals denote
can see the C minor chord is made up of the notes C, Eb, and G. majo r chords

So if C major is made up of the notes C, E, and G, while C minor is made up of C, Eb, and G, what is
the difference? Even though each chord is built on a different scale degree within its respective key,
both chords are built in thirds, and both are said to consist of a root, 3rd, and 5th. In the minor chord,
the 3rd is an Eb, while in the major, it's an E. Thus, the 3rd of the minor chord is flatted. (The E and Eb
are a different note by one degree on any musical instrument, whether it be one piano key or one fret
of a guitar. This difference is the smallest measurement used in western music and is referred to as a
haHstep.)

10
What about the diminished (vii chord? The diminished chord goes "one step further" than the
0
)

minor chord: It flats the 5th of the chord as well. So a C diminished triad would consist of the notes C,
Eb, and Gb. (You can check this spelling by turning the Chord Wheel to the key of Db, where C0 func-
tions as the vii 0 chord.) The diminished chord has a harsh, dissonant quality, due to the b5, and that
makes it one of the "lesser-used" chord types in popular music.

type formula note names chord name

major 1-3-5 C-E-G c
minor l-b3-5 C-Eb-G Cm
diminished l-b3-b5 C-Eb-Gb co

NOTE: Many music students find the above "formula method" confusing, because it defines a minor
chord (with its flatted 3rd) by comparing it to a major chord/scale. The Chord Wheel allows for you to
enjoy the benefits of chord theory without intimate knowledge of this type. If the above formulas seem
confusing, simply refer to any of the numerous texts on how to play chords on your given instrument.
When getting started, it's more important to know when a C chord is played (as opposed to a Cm or
C and which to solo with, than it is to grasp the differences in their construction.
0
),

Seventh Chords
If a triad contains three notes, what happens if we add another note to a chord? If we continue to uti-
lize our "every other note" pattern from the tonic, we get the 1st, 3rd, 5th, and 7th notes of the scale.
Thus we get a seventh chord. Make sense?

There are three basic types of seventh chords: major seventh (maj7), domi-
nant seventh (7), and minor seventh (m7). The first two are built from adding
the 7th to a major triad, and the last is built from a minor triad. The difference
between the major seventh and dominant seventh is a half step, but it's how
they sound and are used that's important.

Of course, the Chord Wheel tells us what type of seventh goes with each chord
in a key-so if we were playing the chords C, F, and G CI, IV, V in the key of C)
and wanted to play the chords as sevenths to add more flavor, the Chord Wheel
would prompt us with the appropriate type (Cmaj7, Fmaj7, and G7). If we need help spelling seventh
chords, the notes for each are contained within the triangular outline, just as they were for triads.

What about the minor seven flat-five (m~5), a.k.a half-diminished chord ( 0 7)? This, once again,
is a lesser-used chord in popular music. It can be seen as an alteration of the minor seventh, but dia-
tonically functions as an extension of the diminished (vii 0 ) triad.

type formula note names chord name

major seventh 1-3-5-7 C-E-G-B Cmaj7 (or CA7)
dominant seventh l-3-5-b7 C-E-G-Bb C7
minor seventh l-b3-5-b7 C-Eb-G-Bb Cm7
minor seven flat-five l-b3-b5-b7 C-Eb-Gb-Bb Cm7b5 Cor C0 7)

11
 Ninths, Elevenths, and Thirteenths
After absorbing the previous chord theory information, it should be easy to determine what a ninth
chord is. Adding one more note in our "every other note in the scale" pattern (that is, 1st, 3rd, 5th, 7th),
the next note would be the "9th." The same holds true for eleventh and thirteenth chords. Note that
due to our "every other" pattern, all the chord extensions are odd numbers. When dealing with chords
extended beyond the 7th, you'll often find that the chords are played without all the notes being repre-
sented. Why? Because six or seven notes can make a single chord sound cluttered and even
unplayable. For example, a 9th chord will often be played without the root, as it can be assumed that
note will be taken care of in the bass register.

The Relative Minor (and Other Modes)

So far we've only covered major scales and keys. While they are by far the most widely used, there are
as many scales as you can imagine-one day, you may even develop your own! The other three most
common scales are natural minor, melodic minor, and harmonic minor. Theoretically, each one could
have its own Chord Wheel. However, the "vi chord" is unique in that it can be considered the primary
chord (the tonic) of the natural minor scale/key, also called the relative minor.

Let's say you find a progression like the following:

Verse: 11---:----+--G_c_--+-_D_;---+--~--
While we could say that this progression fits in the key of C- all
of its chords fit within that framework-it certainly doesn't spend
much time on I or V. Instead, each phrase begins on the "vi" chord
(Am), and the "III" chord (E) is featured prominently- not just as a
color chord. What's more, the "I" chord, C, really doesn't sound
much like the tonic of the progression.
/ "
~ominon1.

•--

This is a great example of a progression in the relative minor- in this case, A minor. The key of A
minor uses the same chords as C major- and therefore the same triangular outline on the Chord Wheel
(hence the word, relative)-but it emphasizes different chords within that family. In the relative minor,
the vi chord actually feels like the tonic, or center, of the key. In this regard, the ii and the iii or III
chords will function as the subdominant and dominant. Try developing compositions based around the
somber tones of the vi, ii, and iii chords, and you'll soon get a feel for this; you'll be working in the rel-
ative minor.

Incidentally, the same principle can apply to any chord in a major key, and that's where the concepts
of modes begins. If a chord other than the major or relative minor feels like the tonic, then we consid-
er the progression to be "in a mode." Typically, unless altered chords are used, the Chord Wheel can
still apply, as each mode makes use of the exact same family of chords, just emphasized differently.

Tonie: I ii iii IV v vi vii 0

Mode: Ionian Dorian Phrygian Lydian Mixolydian Aeolian Locrian
(major) (minor)

While this text has been provided to get you up and running, music is a subject of unlimited depth .
Please visit the website at www.chordwheel.com for greater detail concerning the essential applications
of chord theory and for further discussions regarding the use of this invaluable tool.

12
Analyze Chord Progressions byJim Fieser
Compose Your Own Music
Apply Music Theory
Transpose Keys

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~ HAL• LEONARD®
Analyze Chord Progressions byJim Fieser
Compose Your Own Music
Apply Music Theory
Transpose Keys

##

bbb ##
#
bbbb #b
~7# 7~
~# rs#

MHAL• LEONARD®
Analyze Chord Progressions byJim Fieser
Compose Your Own Music
Apply Music Theory
Transpose Keys

MHAL• LEONARD®
Analyze Chord Progressions byJim Fieser
Compose Your Own Music
Apply Music Theory
Transpose Keys

#
##

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#
bbbb #b
~7# ~6#
7~
rs#

~ HAL• LEONARD®
Analyze Chord Progressions byfimFkser
Compose Your Own Music
Apply Music Theory
Transpose Keys

~ HAL• LEONARD®
Analyze Chord Progressions byJim Fieser
Compose Your Own Music
Apply Music Theory
Transpose Keys

~ HAL• LEONARD®